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4 Sheets-Sheet 1. (Nomodel') R. A. MQGARTY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 325,618. Patent-ed Sept. 1, 1885.

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v A STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 325,618. Patented Sept. 1. 1885.

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NITED STATES PATENT ROBERT A. hICCARTY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO GEORGE MAITLAND, OF SAME PLACE.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,618, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed April Z1, 18% (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT A. McGARTY, of Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the system of rapid store-service for cash or cash and parcels, wherein the carriers travel upon ways formed of lines of stretched wires, and areimpelled by projecting devices located at the ends of the lines, such system being broadly covered by an application for Letters Patent already filed by me, Serial No. 122,626.

The present invention consists in the arrangement and combination of apparatus for a general store system, comprising a number of lines,and providing for service between the cashier and salesmen at several points in the store, whereby simplicity and cheapness in construction will be attained; in the construction or arrangement of the projecting devices to form buffers for receiving the carriers when shot from the opposite ends of the ways; in the manner of supporting the projecting devices, and in certain details of construction, including an efficient form of catch for locking the carriers at the ends of ways, a convenient and eflicicnt carrier and removable receptacle depending therefrom, and in other details, all as more fully hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, showing one line completed; Fig. 2, a perspective view from beneath of the cashiers apparatus partially developed; Fig. 3, a plan of the same; Fig. 4, a perspective view of .the salcsmans apparatus; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the traveling carrier with receptacle removed therefrom; Fi 6, a similar view of receptacle; Fig. 7, a bottom view of the locking-catch, and Fig. 8 a central longitudinal sect-ion of such catch.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

In mystore service system there is provided a linewvire, A, for each station, such line-wire extending from the cashiers desk B to a point in the storc-say G-bctween which and the cashiers desk it is desired to establish communication. This line isa stretched horizontal wire, and at each end there is provided a spring-projecting device for shooting the carrier, which travels thereon, to the other end of the wire, as well'as receiving and locking devices which stop the carrier and lock it in position until projected again to the other end of the line. At the cashiers desk the several service-lines meet.

For simplicity and chcapncss in the construction. as well as in the supporting of the projecting devices, such projecting devices are combined at the cashiers desk in a common frame, D. This is shown more particw larly in Figs. 2 and 3, and consists, essentially, of the two curved bars a 12, arranged one in front of the other, substantially in the same horizontal plane, and supporting, respectively, the catches E for locking the carriers, and the forks F, which hold the hights of the propelling and buffer cords upon the line-wires, and also of a third curved bar, 0, which is located above bar a, and carries the sheaves d for the operatingcords. These bars are connected together by bars and braces, as shown,and are supported from the wall or ceil- -ing,or both, or from the desk, in any suitable way. The bars a b 0 have a curve which is more or less of a complete circle, according so to the directions taken by the most divergent lines.

All points in the store may communicate with one cashiers desk, or two or more of such desks may be used, each with its system 8 5 of diverging service-lines.

The catches, operating-cords, and other devices used upon the cashiers apparatus are the same as the parts employed upon the salesmans apparatus, in connection with 99 which they will be described.

The salesmans apparatus has a vertical supportingpipe, G, which carries the operating parts. This pipe is preferably hung from the ceiling by a connecting-pipe, e, and a ceiling-flange, f, the pipe 6 being of suflicient length to give the apparatus the desired elevation. The line-wire A passes through a hole, g, in pipe G, near its lower end, and then extends to the wall, or upwardly to the ceiling, 1 where itis secured and properly stretched.

t In hole 9 is a nipple, provided with screw g for clamping pipe G tothe line-wire. This stays the apparatus in the direction of the line-wire. Latcrally the pipeG is braced by an arm, h, which extends to shelving, to the wall, or to any near stationary obj eet, to which it is secured. By staying the pipe G in this way in both directions it can be hung from the ceiling. The frame D of the cashiers apparatus may also be stayed in the same way.

Above line-wire A there projects from pipe G a horizontal arm, H, extending along over the wire, and having a fork, I at its end, the arms of which bend down nearly to the plane of the wire. The ends of the fork F carry sheaves, and over these passes the cord 2', the

bight of which rests upon the wire. Blocks 7c, preferably of soft rubber, are placed upon the cord below the fork, and prevent the bight from pulling up to the sheaves, at the same time that they keep the bight from twisting from a proper position upon the linewire. The arm H is braced from the pipe G by a rod, 1. The cord is secured at its upper end to a spring, I, which may be a piece of rubber tubing or a metal spiral, and from the other end of'this spring two cords or wires, m a, run over sheaves in the head 0 of pipe G, and then hang downwardly in the rear of such pipe.

To the lower end of pipe G is secured the catch E. This is composed of an arm, E, which is clamped to the lower end of pipe G, and projects outwardly in the same direction as arm H, but below instead of above the linewire. This is forked at its outerend, and has pivoted to such forked end a bottom plate, E, which extends hack of pipe G, and has in its rear end two holes, through which the operating-cords m a pass. This plate Etis held up against arm E by a spring, 12. It carries a latch, K, which projects through an opening in arm E. This latch is pivoted upon plate E", and is thrown up by a light quick-acting spring, 1). catch, depresses only the latch K, requiring but little force to overcome the springp, while to release the carrier the plate E is drawn downwardly against the greater tension of spring 1). This double or compound catch is a highly-efficient device. If the latch K were not independently pivoted upon plate E it would be necessary for the carrier to overcome the tension of spring 1) and force the plate itself down in order to engage the catch.

The cords in a, which terminate in rings or knobs within convenient reach, are provided above the catch-plate E" with adjustable stops q g, which may be balls held upon the cords by set-serews. These are adjusted upon the cords to the required points forgiving the spring I the proper tension, and their purpose is to draw down the catch-plateE and release the carrier. The stop q upon the cord a of each apparatus is adjusted to a higher point than stop q of cord at, so that by pulling npon cord a the spring will be given greater tension before the carrier is released,

The carrier, in engaging with the and the carrier can be propelled with a greater load than if the cord in is used to operate the apparatus.

\Vhen the carrier is lightly loaded, the cord in will be used to operate the apparatus, and

when the carrier is heavily loaded the cord at will be employed for this purpose. Since the stops q q can be readily adjusted, the same size spring can be used for all the machines, although the lines are of different lengths; but heavier springs might be used in machines for the longest lines. The result of depending upon the adjustment of the stops (1 q is that such stops will be at different points upon the several machines at the cashiers desk, as well as upon those at the outer ends of the lines.

The carrier that I prefer to employ is a narrow plate, L, upon which are mounted two grooved wheels, L L", of hard rubber or other suitable material. These wheels ride upon the wire A, while the plate L hangs beneath the wire. The plate L is provided with setscrews 9', projecting upwardly through it, one near each wheel. These screws are adjusted to limit the jumping movement of the carrier on the wire, so as to prevent its displacement thereon. Near each end the plate L is formed into upwardly -projecting hooks M, and at each en d the plate terminates in a head, N, forming a downwardly projecting hook, which head is capped by abuffer, .9, of soft rubber.

From the center ot'plate L ishung by rods 2? a horizontal ring, on its inner edge.

The receptacle P is a cylindrical box with opentop, and has a shoulder, 12, and pins to above the shoulder. The box I is attached to the carrier by pushing it into the ring, so that pins 20 will pass through notches u, and then turning it to lock the box to the ring.

A box-cover, Q, is hung from the bottom of plate L'by a spiral spring, a:, which presses the cover down upon the box, closing such box and holding it firmly in position in the ring.

W hen a carrier is projected over a wire,the hooks H at the forward end of the carrrier catch the bight of the spring-cord at the other end of the line, and pulling back such bight draw down upon the propelling spring hence it will be seen that the propellingspring can also be used as abuffer-spring. To accomplish that, I secure to the cord in or n of each'machine, below the catch-plate Efla stop, y, which may be a metal ball adj ustably held by a screw upon such cord. This stop is adjusted to the proper point with relation to the momentum of the carrier, so that it 0, provided with notches a.

will strike the plate E and permit spring I to be strained by the moving carrier as its hook-head N is passing over latch K. This buffers s will suffiee to preventinjury to parts or the production of a disagreeable noise.

The construction of the projecting device, per 86, except in the particulars hereinafter pointed out by the claims, is covered by an application for Letters Patent already filed by me, (Serial No. 130,126,) and hence is not claimed herein.

"What I claim is- 1. A store-service apparatus wherein are combined two or more service-lines diverging from a common point, each running to a single station, carriers traveling upon said lines, and motors for projecting said carriers over said lines, substantially as set forth.

2. A store-service apparatus wherein are combined two or more horizontal service-lines diverging from a common point, each running to a single station, carriers traveling upon said lines, and stationary motors located at both ends of the lines, for projecting the carriers back and forth over said horizontal lines, substantially as set forth.

3. A store-service apparatus wherein are combined two or more lines of varying lengths diverging from a common point, each running to a single station, carriers traveling upon said lines, and adjustable motors for projecting the carriers over said lines, such motors being adjusted with relation to the length of two or more lines, substantially as set forth.

4. In store-service apparatus, the combination,with the cashiers desk or other common point of delivery, of two or more service-lines diverging therefrom, two or more motors for projecting carriers over said lines, and a common frame in which said motors are mounted, substantially as set forth.

5. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with two or more motors mounted in a common frame at a central point, horizontal lines diverging therefrom to separate stations, and separate motors at such stations, all said motors being adapted to project carriers over such lines, substantially as set forth.

6. In store service apparatus, the combinanation, with a line, of a spring-motor located at one end thereof in position to receive and stop as well as to project a carrier traveling upon said line, whereby the motor-spring will act also as a buffer, substantially as set forth.

'7. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with aline and a carrier traveling thereon, of a spring-motor located at each end thereof in position to receive and stop as well as to project the carrier, substantially as set forth.

8. In store-service apparatus, the combination,with a line and a carrier traveling thereon, of aspring-motor located at one end of the line in position to receive and stop the carrier as well as to project it over the line, a catch with which the carrier engages by its own momentum, and an adjustment to the motor, whereby the motor-spring can be brought into action as a buffer at the proper point to stop the carrier after it has engaged with the catch, substantially as set forth.

9. In store-service apparatus, the combination,with a motor for projecting the carrier, of adjustable operating-stops arranged to cause the motor to act with different force to propel the carrier when lightly or heavily loaded, substantially as set forth.

10. In store-service apparatus, the combinatiomwith a spring-motor for projecting a carrier, of a catch for holding the carrier against tension of the spring, two or more cords for straining the spring, and adjustable stops on said cords for releasing the carrier at different degrees of tension of the spring, substantially as set forth.

11. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with the motor for projecting the carrier, of a catch for holding the carrier carried by a plate pivoted forward of the catch, and extending in rear of catch for engagement with operating-stops, substantially as set forth.

12. In store-service apparatus, the com bination, with the motor and carrier, of a compound catch having a latch movable independently of a movable plate upon which it is mounted, substantially as set forth.

13. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with the motor and carrier, of a pivoted spring catch-plate having a springlatch pivoted thereon and capable of independent movement, substantially as sct forth.

14. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with the stretched wire, of the springmotor hung from ceiling and clamped to such wire, and the lateral stay, substantially as set forth.

15. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with a stretched wire way, of a wheeled carrier traveling thereon, and adjustable screws limiting the vertical movement of the carrier on the wire, substantially as set forth.

16. In store service apparatus, the combination, with a stretched wire way, of a wheeled carrier traveling thereon and a receptacle suspended beneath the carrier and removably held thereto by a depending ring, substantially as set forth.

7. In store-service apparatus, the combination, with a stretched wire way, of a wheeled carrier traveling thereon, a receptacle removably locked to such carrier, and a spring-cover for the receptacle held perinanently by the carrier, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 26th day of March, 1885.

ROBERT A. MCGARTY.

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